Top attractions in Venice
Free cancellation
Top sights in Venice
Top 10 things to do in Venice
Few cities offer such a wealth of beauty, charm and history as Venice. With so many incredible sights on offer, choosing can be a daunting task. Let us help: here are 10 essential stops that belong on the itinerary of every visit to The Floating City.
1. Grand Canal
The Grand Canal is Venice’s main boulevard – made of water! Hop on a waterbus, taxi-boat or an iconic gondola and float past the gorgeous historic buildings lining the canal banks.
2. Doge’s Palace
The wow-factor of the Doge’s Palace's majestic marble exterior is only exceeded by the treasures held within – history buffs and aficionados of classical art will never want to leave.
3. Saint Mark’s Basilica
The opulent Saint Mark’s Basilica is arguably the jewel in Venice’s crown. With its multi-leveled domes, intricate facades and stunning mosaics, it’s a marvel of Italo-Byzantine architecture.
4. Bridge of Sighs
When riding a Gondola with your loved one, make sure to pass the Bridge of Sighs – Venetian lore vows that a kiss under the bridge will grant couples eternal love and happiness.
5. Piazza San Marco
This gigantic public square is the centerpiece of Venice. Napoleon was so taken by the beauty of the architecture, he called Piazza San Marco “the drawing room of Europe.”
6. Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge is the oldest and most ravishing bridge across Grand Canal. Get up early to beat the crowds and enjoy the spectacular views at your leisure, you won’t regret it.
7. Lido di Venezia
Take a breather from the touristic bustle and visit the charming Lido di Venezia. A short boat ride from the center, it’s where some of Venice’s best (and cheapest!) restaurants are hidden.
8. Teatro La Fenice
You don’t need to be an opera enthusiast to be blown away by the sumptuous Teatro La Fenice, one of the most important and renowned venues in the history of the art.
9. Torcello
Quiet and picturesque, the island of Torcello is perfect for a relaxing day trip. Make sure to visit the charming basilica and admire the amazing views from its bell tower.
10. Gallerie dell’Accademia
The Gallerie dell’Accademia contains some of the most illustrious examples of Venetian art. The mere size of the paintings is awe-inspiring – be warned, you may leave with a crick in your neck.
Planning Your Visit
Save money on transport
The way the city is built, you’ll find yourself using the waterbuses (“vaporetti”) a lot more than expected. These trips can eat into your savings if you’re not careful. Bundle tickets are a great way of avoiding nasty surprises. The price of a 12-hour ticket is roughly equivalent to 3 singles and the relative cost keeps dropping for longer periods (tickets are available for up to a week).
Counters are your friends
Eating and drinking can be very expensive in Venice. Bars and restaurants generally charge more for sitting at a table, so a great way of cutting costs is opting for the counter instead. Surcharges vary with some restaurants charging up to 500% in the busiest tourist areas!
Enjoy the view
The view of the entire city from atop the bell tower on Piazza San Marco, which costs 8 EUR, is one of Venice’s most popular attractions. An insider tip is heading over to San Giorgio Maggiore – the view is arguably better and the privilege only costs 3 EUR.
Good to know
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- Language
- Italian
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- Currency
- Euro (€)
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- Time Zone
- UTC (+01:00)
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- Country Code
- +39
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- Best time to visit
- From September to November the city is most pleasant.
Top Attractions in Venice
Things to Do in Venice
Other Sightseeing Options in Venice
Want to discover all there is to do in Venice? Click here for a full list.
What people are saying about Venice
This is an excellent tour to have an overall introduction to Murano, Burano, and Torcello, without diving too deep into the details of each island. Perfect if you have never visited them and want to get an idea, less suitable if you want to gain in-depth knowledge about them. We were a small group, so the company booked a taxi, which was an absolute treat. Great first time to the Lagoon Islands, our favourite was Burano (we got covid masks with handmade lace! So stylish). Live demonstrations of glass blowing and lace making are included. The guide was approachable and knowledgeable, keeping us on time without making us feel rushed.
The desk was very helpful. It was a bit further of a walk than we were told but this wasn’t an issue. Our driver was brilliant and dropped us right at our hotel. You can book the public water bus when you arrive for cheaper but we booked the shared private and because of Covid we were the only ones on the boat, so got a boat all to ourselves!
Definitely value for money, you get enough time on each island to explore comfortably and the glass blowing show was very informative. The guide was a little hard to understand at times over the speakers, especially if you're sitting outside on the deck of the boat, but it was in four languages and interesting none the less.
Stefano is a terrific guide! He explained the history and architecture relating to St. Mark’s Bacilica and Doge’s Palace in an easy to understand manner and with a strong knowledge foundation. His background as an architect added another positive dimension. The 3 hour tour went quickly. We highly recommend taking it.
This tour is a definite recommendation, a must-do for everyone interested in Venice's history. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, with an in-depth response for everyone extra question we had and brought across the information in a way that was engaging and fun to listen to.
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